Harrison C. Spencer Award

2025 Award Recipient

San Diego State University School of Public Health

The ASPPH Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service was created to honor Dr. Spencer, who had a long-standing commitment to principles of social justice with a focus on community engagement to address the social determinants of health. It is the only ASPPH award that recognizes a member institution rather than an individual.

This annual award is given to an ASPPH-member, CEPH-accredited school or program of public health that has demonstrated a major institutional commitment to addressing community needs through education, practice, and/or research. This commitment is demonstrated through the development and implementation of exceptional programs that engage a community to improve public health. The award recognizes an ongoing commitment to community service as reflected in programs and initiatives that are responsive to community needs and exhibit a meaningful partnership with the community (or communities). Such communities do not need to be geographical in nature or geographically adjacent to the school or program.

The award is not intended to honor any one specialized service program or individual but rather to recognize instances where a broad-based collaboration has developed between the nominee and the community served.

Criteria for Award

Nominations should include a description of the nominee’s outstanding contributions in:

Addressing community needs through education, practice, and/or research;
Development and implementation of exceptional programs that engage a community to improve public health; and
Ongoing commitment to community service as reflected in programs and initiatives that are responsive to community needs and exhibit a meaningful partnership with the community (or communities).

Eligibility

Nominees must be a current ASPPH-member, CEPH-accredited school or program of public health. View the list of ASPPH-member institutions.
ASPPH-member schools and programs are eligible to be nominated if they have not received the award previously. Schools and programs selected as finalists can reapply in two years.

Required Materials

Nominations can be submitted by any individual (inside or outside the nominated institution), but self-nominations are expected. The nomination package must contain the following materials:

Nominee and nominator contact information
An overview statement introducing the program(s) and outlining why the institution should be considered (limit 800 words)
A narrative description (not to exceed six pages) of the nominee’s community-based program(s), including an overview of the institution’s commitment to community-based programs; descriptions of the programs and their impact on the institution and the community; the participation of faculty, staff, students and/or alumni; and a description of how the activities are supported
Two letters from outside the institution, preferably from community-based partners, describing the programs and their impact on the community

Award Details

$5,000 Cash Prize (intended to be distributed by the awardee to one or more community partners);

An Award Plaque

Recognition at the Awards Ceremony

Ability to showcase a video of the awardee’s community engagement at the ASSPH annual meeting.

The Finalist Receives: Recognition at the Awards Ceremony.

Review & Selection

Each nomination is reviewed by a selection committee comprised of the ASPPH Executive Board.

The top two candidates are identified, and a site visit is scheduled for ASPPH leadership to learn in-depth about the work being done. ASPPH leadership and the committee will discuss each nomination and determine the awardee.